Tangent
by GhostofYou
Summary: Because no matter what they did, they were always running in circles. Because things were never easy. Because he was strong and so was she. So when she told him to run, he did. SasuSaku
1. Chapter 1

Hello!

As some of you may know, this is going to be a short four—or five, if I make an epilogue—chapter long story based off a prompt I received about a week ago on Tumblr set around Chapter 634, so if you haven't read it, you should! If you want to read the original prompt you can, but this first chapter is a re-vamped and elongated version of that said prompt so it won't really be necessary. Anyway, I absolutely fell in love with it, and immediately after I wrote it I was suddenly struck with inspiration. And so, here we are.

Also on a side note, for those of you who are also reading "Different," there probably won't be an update this week because I want to focus on this short story first before things get even crazier with the manga (omg). But don't worry; I'm in the middle of drafting Chapter 20, I'm just not happy with it yet, so yeah.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

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Chapter 1

As she walked down the quiet corridors of the hospital Sakura stifled a yawn while balancing Sasuke's breakfast tray with her other hand. She was early; he wouldn't be up yet. He wouldn't even know she ever came, in, out, and gone like the gentle breeze of summer. But she planned it that way. Sakura couldn't help herself, constantly checking on him in the early hours of the morning for her own accord, a pleasant reminder that it wasn't a dream.

After all these years of patiently waiting and hoping, Sasuke was finally back in the village. Though the journey to this point was by no means easy, Sakura was glad. No, she was more than that. She was ecstatic. But things were different. She wasn't the same person she was when she was twelve anymore; hell, she wasn't the same person she was just a year ago. And neither was Sasuke; she was sure of it. The war had changed them—all of them—but Sakura hoped it was for the better.

They've had their share of pain and suffering, separated by time and circumstance, perpetuated by secrets and lies. And yet, one thing remained constant throughout the years: Sakura still loved him. She even told him so, and while she wished it didn't have to be said on the battlefield, during a battle, during a war, she had no regrets. Sasuke deserved to know. And though he never gave her a proper a response, Sasuke had returned to the village, and that was enough for her. They were given a second chance, and maybe, just maybe, they could get things right this time.

Once Sakura reached Sasuke's room, she let out one last yawn before she quietly entered and set his tray on the bedside table, taking a quick peek at his chart and the machine that measured the steady beating of his heart. She smiled. After a month in the hospital, Sasuke was almost fully recovered, which was quite remarkable for someone who suffered some of the worst injuries. However, because of his own tendency to heal quickly, Naruto had already been discharged from the hospital a little over a week ago, something he never failed to mention whenever they came to visit him, much to Sasuke's chagrin.

However, it wouldn't be too long until Sasuke would be back on his feet. He'd have his trial—something Sakura tried to think of as little as possible—and then, well, she couldn't be too sure. Even if everything went well, there was still the whole rivalry between Naruto and Sasuke for the Hokage position, still a rather sensitive topic between the two, even though it was still too premature. Tsunade was still alive, and it wasn't as if they were the only two ninja eyeing for the position.

She sighed, placing Sasuke's clipboard back where she found it; now wasn't the time to be thinking of such things. And normally, Sakura would have left immediately after checking on his file, content with the mere sight of Sasuke sleeping peacefully, ignorant of her daily morning visits. But that morning, as she looked down at him, as she watched the slow rise and fall of his chest, Sakura realized the few minutes she allowed herself to gaze at him weren't enough. Her mind was restless, fully aware that soon, Sasuke would be out of the hospital and this luxury that she had given herself every morning would be gone. She wanted to stay—just a little bit longer, just a few more seconds, just for today—and then, that would be enough.

Without realizing it, she began to stroke Sasuke's hair, an intimate gesture, wondering what he dreamt about, wondering if he was finally able to sleep in peace. She remembered what it was like when she first began this morning routine of hers—his face contorted in pain, his breathing labored. Nightmares. How much had changed since then. But Sasuke was healing—slowly, but surely. They all were. Sakura sighed again, her hand sliding down to cup his face. Just for that moment, even if it was selfish of her, Sakura allowed herself to pretend, pretend he reciprocated her feelings, pretend they were lovers, pretend he'd open his eyes, look at her and say—

"Sakura. We didn't expect you to be here."

Snatching her hand away from Sasuke, Sakura whipped around, suddenly finding herself face to face with the village elders, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane. She gasped; she didn't even hear them enter. Clicking her heels together, Sakura straightened, fighting the blush she was sure was on her face. Out of habit, she opened her mouth to greet them; however, she stopped herself before she could utter a word. Something was off. They seemed piqued, as if her presence was a nuisance to them. They weren't even looking at her, their attention focused on Sasuke who remained asleep. A knot formed in the pit of her stomach as she noticed the syringe in Mitokado's hand.

She swallowed. "What," Sakura said slowly, her eyes never leaving the syringe, instinctively repositioning herself to further block Sasuke from their view, "are you doing here?"

However, neither elder answered her question, ignoring her discourtesy, returning the favor. "Step aside, Sakura," Homura said evenly, edge in his voice, reminding her of his authority over her. He glanced at Sasuke's heart rate monitor, unamused. "This doesn't concern you."

But Sakura didn't care. "As a trained medic-nin, I cannot. I cannot let you move any further," she said, shaking her head, her voice strong despite the uneasiness she felt, "Not until you tell me what you're planning to do."

The elders exchanged glances, conflicted, wondering what to tell her. But after a few moments, Homura sighed, nodding his head to Koharu. "Very well, then," she said calmly, "We've come here to finish what Danzo started. We're putting an end to the Uchiha clan once and for all." She made a motion to the syringe in Homura's hand. "We just didn't expect anyone to be here this early." Koharu paused, grimacing. "You especially."

The way she said it made Sakura's blood run cold; her heart pound; her palms begin to sweat—so poised, so calculated. "But," Sakura said, talking suddenly becoming incredibly difficult, "but _why_?"

"Why?" Homura repeated indignantly, looking at her in disbelief, as if she was a child. "Why?" It was like he wanted to hit her. "Because he's dangerous, that's why!" he snapped, making Sakura jump as he took a threatening step forward.

However, Koharu held him back and gave him a pointed look, her eyes saying _not now_—_not yet_. Homura clicked his tongue, but stepped back, albeit grudgingly, glaring as Koharu turned back to Sakura. "You have to understand the position we're in, Sakura. The safety of Konoha is our number one priority," she said carefully, attempting to reason with her, "And despite his loss of temper, Mitokado is correct. Sasuke _is_ dangerous. He's too dangerous to keep in the village, but we can't just let him leave. Imagine the repercussions, not only for us, but for the rest of the shinobi world." She paused. "I'm sure we all agree that we've suffered enough. And we're not about to start another conflict with the other nations because we didn't handle the Uchiha—_properly_."

"But," Sakura said softly, horrified at the implications, "this is murder."

"No," Koharu said, "this is justice."

Sakura froze. "You," she said, "you call this _justice_? What about his trial? What about Tsunade-sama? She couldn't have agreed—" The expression on Koharu's face made her stop. "She doesn't know, does she?" Neither elder said a word. "But Sasuke-kun joined the alliance! He fought to _protect _the village. He saved us. He—"

"He's unpredictable," Koharu interrupted, stone-faced, "We heard about that stunt he pulled on the battlefield, how he wanted to destroy all the bijuus, how he planned to destroy this shinobi system and create a new order. Sasuke may have fought on our side, but he is no better than Madara or Obito."

"I will agree," Sakura said stiffly, choosing her words carefully, "that Sasuke-kun went about it the wrong way, but he his intentions were good. And can you really blame him? After everything that's happened to him, to his family?" Sakura averted her gaze, remembering how Sasuke finally told her about the truth of the Uchiha massacre, something that had been hidden from her by her teammates, by the people she trusted. She took a deep breath to calm herself and looked back at the elders. "Have you learned nothing from this war? More killing isn't going to solve anything."

"It doesn't matter; we can't trust him."

Sakura glared. "You mean you can't control him."

Beat.

Koharu pursed her lips, unable to deny the accusation, and looked at Homura. "I think," she said, nodding to Homura, giving him the okay, "this conversation is over. Now, move. This is not a suggestion. This is an order by the Konoha Council."

Sakura took a step back and stole a glance at Sasuke—still sleeping, still dreaming, still _breathing_—her thoughts drifting back to the moment when he came to her aid on the battlefield. Sasuke was many things. He was strong. He was stubborn. He was _foolish_. Sasuke was all of these things and more, but he was not the person the elders believed him to be. There was still good in him; she could feel it. Sakura clenched her fists. "Order or not," she said, returning her attention to the elders, determination in her voice, ready to accept any of the consequences, "I won't let you harm him."

"Sakura," Homura said sternly, his patience wearing thin, "Listen. We can forgive you for this_—lapse_ in judgment, but if you don't step aside, we will not hesitate to use force." However, Sakura was unfazed by his threat and shook her head, prompting him to use a different approach. Homura relaxed. "Okay, fine," he said, his voice soft now, coaxing, "But think about the other patients in this hospital, Sakura. Think about the danger you'll be placing them in. Think about all the innocent lives that may be lost because you want to protect the Uchiha." He paused, letting his words sink in. "Now ask yourself: Is his life really that important to you? Is his life worth all of theirs?"

It went quiet, tension in the air, both the elders and Sakura in a mental standoff. However, while Sakura glared, Homura and Koharu merely crossed their arms, their expressions patronizing, waiting for her to give up. She huffed, biting the inside of her cheek, not sure what to do. But they were right, and they knew it. She couldn't risk having a physical confrontation with the elders, especially in the hospital. It was too risky. They were giving her a choice, when they knew she had none. And after a few moments, Sakura sighed, her shoulders slumping forward, head bowed as she took a step away from Sasuke.

Homura smiled, triumphant. "Good girl," he said, glancing at Koharu, "We knew you'd see it our way. Now you don't have to worry about any punishment, we can all forget this ever—"

However, before either Homura or Koharu could move any closer to his hospital bed, Sakura swung her arm and knocked Sasuke's breakfast tray off the bedside table, the jarring sounds of glass, metal, and plastic against the floor echoing throughout the room. The elders froze. Time seemed to stand still as Sakura watched the glass shatter and food splatter across the tiled floor, under the bed, and to the elders' feet. She looked up.

Red. The elders were seething—fury spilling from their eyes and radiating from their bodies—but Sakura didn't care. Holding her arms wide, Sakura moved back in front of the hospital bed and stood her ground, using her body as a barrier between the elders and Sasuke. She saw red, but she was red, too. "I thought I told you," she said, spitting out each word slowly and dangerously, "I will _not_ let you harm him."

Homura's nostrils flared, his fist shaking, threatening to break the syringe he held in his hand. "How _dare_ you," he said, "How dare you display such—such _insolence_, such—" He stopped, eyes widening in shock.

"Sa-kura?"

Relaxing ever so slightly, Sakura bowed her head and smiled, letting out a sigh of relief. It worked. Sasuke was awake. He sounded groggy, disoriented, but nevertheless awake. "Sasuke-kun," she said slowly, lifting her head and turning it so she was looking at him through the corner of her eye. She could feel the tears begin to form, but she would not allow herself to cry. Not yet. She still had to be strong. "I need you listen to me very carefully."

Sasuke sat up and rubbed his eyes, confused, shifting himself so he could see what Sakura was blocking. However, when he saw the elders it was as if his exhaustion had disappeared, suddenly alert. He took a deep breath and put the pieces together: from Sakura's stance, to the elders' expression of shock and anger, to the broken plates of his spilled tray. He shook his head, fully comprehending the situation. "Sakura, what—"

"No Sasuke-kun," she said, her voice steady, hiding her fear, hiding her pain, "don't speak, just listen." She gave him a smile.

"_Run_."

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And that's Chapter 1! Chapter 2 will be up soon (Almost done! Almost done!), but I reeeeeeaaaaaaaaaallllly need to work on my prompts for SSmonth and SSHC, so for those of you who are reading this for the second time, I apologize. Though, I hope the added detail and dialogue made up for it!

And as always, read and review!

GhostofYou


	2. Chapter 2

All right, here's the next chapter! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

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Chapter 2

He was thinking about her again.

Sakura, with her back towards him and her arms spread wide. Sakura, with resolve in her voice and fire in her eyes. It was the last image he had of her, the last memory of Konoha before he was forced to leave. But he didn't want to leave; he wanted to stay; he wanted to fight. But her eyes said no. Her eyes said, _Trust me. Everything is going to be okay. _And he did trust her, more than she ever knew. So he listened to her. He listened to her and ran far away, never looking back no matter how much he wanted to. And so far, Sakura was right; everything was okay. However, things were different now. Sasuke had no purpose, no goal, no person to kill. And while his days may have been peaceful, more peaceful than he ever imagined, his journey was aimless.

He looked up, hearing the storm before it actually came, wondering what she was up to now, wondering if her mind strayed as often as his did. He sighed. He didn't even thank her. There was no time. It was either he left then or not at all. Sakura knew it. He knew it. It wasn't like the first time he left the village. There were no tears, no desperate expressions of love—none of the raw emotion he felt just before he whispered his words of thanks. Instead of minutes, they were only permitted seconds, permitted a sense of urgency as Sakura offered him the only word she could give.

_Run_.

It started to rain. They were never quite good at goodbyes, were they? Never able to get it right. But goodbyes were so final, forcing an ending to something that wasn't finished. And Sasuke wasn't finished, not yet. He was indebted to Sakura, in more ways than one. Although he wasn't sure if it would be for good, he knew one day he would return to Konoha, and he would thank her, properly this time. He closed his eyes. And while that day wasn't today, it left room for a someday.

Pulling his hood over his head, Sasuke walked out of the forest, in need of proper shelter for the night. He reached the gates of the nearest village and read the sign before entering—_Iwagakure._ The rain was coming down harder now, forcing Sasuke to find the nearest place that was open, which happened to be a small restaurant. Luckily for him, it was rather empty, not counting two Iwa-nin sitting at the counter just a few tables away from where the waitress placed him.

He was just going to have tea, Sasuke told her quietly as he looked out the window. She seemed wary but nevertheless gave him his order. He took a sip, allowing the heat of his tea to warm his hands. It wasn't an inn, but it would do for the moment. The wind was howling now, the sky covered by a mass of dark, pouring clouds. He wondered how the weather was in Konoha—sunny, he hoped.

"Did you hear? Konoha has finally come to a decision."

Sasuke paused, the rim of his cup to his lips, and glanced to his right as he heard the name of the village. They must have been talking about who was going to be named Hokage after Tsunade stepped down. Sasuke raised his brow; it still seemed too premature for Konoha to be thinking of such things. But he was interested now, and shifting in his sea, Sasuke angled himself slightly towards the two shinobi, watching them through the corners of his eyes.

"Yeah, I just heard about it this morning," the other man said to his companion, nodding solemnly, "Everyone's talking about it." He took a sip of his drink. "But it's still hearsay. We won't really know until the paper comes out tomorrow. But what do _you_ think? Do you think it's true?"

"Of course it's true! Why wouldn't it be?"

"But _her_?"

"And why not?"

"Well, because I know her."

The first man laughed, almost choking on his food in the process. "_You_?" he said incredulously, laughing again, "You know Sakura Haruno?" Sasuke's eyes widened, almost choking on his tea, this time turning his head so he could see the two shinobi. "The famed disciple of the Fifth Hokage? You're kidding."

"I'm being serious, Jiro! I do know her!" the second man said defensively. But Jiro merely crossed his arms, still unconvinced, causing his friend to sigh. "Okay fine, so I don't know her _that_ well, but I've met her. And that's a lot more than you can say. Anyway, she healed me once, during the war. And Sakura-san," he said, sighing as he propped his elbow on the counter and rest his head on his fist, "she's amazing, you know. Absolutely incredible. If you met her you'd think the same thing. She's—"

"Wait," Jiro said, interrupting him and placing a hand on his shoulder, "please don't tell me she's the one you gave that love letter to." Sasuke twitched, his grip threatening to break the cup in his hand. But the man didn't answer, averting his gaze and stuffing his mouth with whatever food was on his plate. Jiro's eyes widened and said under his breath, "Kami, she was." He shook his head and laughed. "Sakura Haruno was the the girl you couldn't get over, the one who told you she was in love with someone else?"

Sasuke smirked, relaxing.

The man lifted his gaze from his plate and punched Jiro. "Shut up," he said, swallowing his food, "that's besides the point. All I'm saying is that Sakura-san doesn't seem like the type of person. I can't accept it."

Sasuke pursed his lips. Though, he had to admit he thought Naruto was sure to be named the next Hokage, he didn't think Sakura was incapable. In fact, she was definitely more intelligent than the dobe could ever hope to be. And now that he thought about it, Sakura was probably the better choice; all that responsibility placed on the dobe's shoulders? Sasuke almost shuddered at the thought. Whoever this Iwa nin was, he didn't like him. He scowled.

Jiro shook his head and took a swig of his drink. "But from you've just told me, then it has to be true."

"How?"

"Well," he said, drink in hand, leaning back into his chair and fixating on a spot on the wall in front of them, "you said she told you that she was in love with someone else, right?" His companion nodded. "Well, come on. I'm sure you can put two and two together. Ther person she's in love with, it obviously has to be, well, you know." Jiro rubbed his chin with his hand. "And considering what we know, that had to be the reason why she was willing to commit such a crime, even if it was, as you seem to believe, out of her character."

_Crime_?

"What are you two talking about?"

The two Iwa-nin jumped, pausing in their conversation, and turned their heads to face Sasuke, surprised to discover that they weren't the only patrons in the restaurant. Jiro raised his brow and glanced at his companion before looking back at Sasuke. "You mean you haven't heard?"

Sasuke stood up, leaving his things at his table, and took a seat at the counter. He shrugged. "I've been travelling."

The nameless Iwa-nin nodded his head. "Well," he said, slightly uncomfortable from the look Sasuke was giving him, "word just got in about Sakura Haruno and her trial."

"Trial?"

Jiro smacked his forehead. "Seriously, do you live under a rock?"

"Excuse my friend," the nameless nin said, noticing Sasuke's jaw clench, "He's an idiot." However, Sasuke remained expressionless as Iwa nin forced himself to continue as if he didn't notice, afraid of a confrontation. "Well, you must be aware the Fourth Shinobi War ended about six months ago, correct?" Silence. He swallowed. "Anyway, about a month after the Alliance defeated Madara and Obito, it was said that the last survivor the Uchiha clan, who was supposed to go through his own trial after he'd recovered in the hospital, attempted to escape Konoha before it could happen. The only reason we know this is because the two village elders went to the hospital to check up on him—you know, to see how he was doing, so they could possibly set up a date for his hearing—but when they entered the room they caught the Uchiha right in the act."

Sasuke glowered, his fury growing with every added detail of the story. He looked down at his lap, taking in a few deep breaths. He didn't have to guess twice who came up with this story. "Really."

"Yeah, I know," the Iwa nin said, misunderstanding Sasuke's reaction, "You have every right to feel angry. But imagine how the elders must have felt at such a sight. Here, you have the last surviving Uchiha, the one that had left Konoha years before and then appeared at the battlefield to fight _with_ the Alliance, suddenly changing his mind to go off and to do who knows what? They must have been furious. But of course, they tried to reason with him, telling him he wasn't in his right mind, still in shock from the fact that he just killed his last two family members." He shook his head. "But he wouldn't have it.

"And even though the elders are, well, old, they were quite the ninja in their day, and seeing the Uchiha wasn't listening, they resorted to using force." He paused. "And now this is the part of the story that I can't believe." Nameless-nin paused and looked at his friend, but Jiro merely raised his hands, refusing to continue for him. He rolled his eyes. "Ugh. Fine. Anyway, before the elders could do anything, Sakura Haruno appeared in the room. Why was she there, you may ask? Well, Sakura-san is renowned medical ninja, a disciple of the Fifth Hokage herself in case you haven't heard, and she does rounds in the hospital every now and then.

"Well apparently, she had been listening in on the conversation the whole time and jumped between the elders and the Uchiha, threatening to hurt the elders herself if they tried to harm him. The elders thought she was bluffing, but when one of them made a move, Sakura attacked, creating a diversion so the Uchiha could escape." He sighed, shaking his head and taking a drink. "But like I said before, I don't believe it."

Jiro scoffed. "Oh please, that's just your infatuation talking," he said, pushing his friend away so he could talk directly to Sasuke. "Just listen to the evidence everyone's provided us, and you decide for yourself. So my friend over here doesn't want to believe Sakura-san attacked the elders, but that doesn't hide the fact that other patients, people who had no idea what was going on, _heard_ the crash. There are about five of them that could vouch for that fact." Jiro turned back to his friend. "And how about that other nurse? When she rushed into the room after hearing the noise, the room was an absolute mess. Broken glass, food splattered on the floor, the IV knocked over, everything of the like."

"So?"

Jiro rolled his eyes. "You just want this guy to see things your way. And that's not fair. You're purposely leaving out a very—_important_ detail of the story," Jiro said, wagging his eyebrow at Sasuke, as if he gained pleasure from proving his friend wrong, "and that's what this nurse heard Sakura say herself before she left the hospital."

Sasuke glanced at the nameless nin, but he bowed his head, unable to deny it, defeated. He looked at Jiro again, but his amused expression didn't lift the sinking feeling in the depth of Sasuke's stomach. In fact, it only made it worse. "What did she say?" he asked quietly.

"Now this is where the story gets real interesting," he said in delight, clearing his throat. "So Sakura-san, the elders, and now this nurse, who's quite the nervous wreck at this point, are in the hospital room. According to said nurse, Sakura-san held no expression, her eyes the coldest she'd ever seen. And just before she stepped over the mess that _she_ created, Sakura-san looked directly into the elders' eyes and said, 'Do whatever you want with me. I don't care. I'm not going to apologize. I was not going to let you harm Sasuke-kun.'—Sasuke-_kun_! Can you believe it?—'Now I'm going home, but neither of you have to worry. I'm not leaving the village, so if you need me, you know where to find me.' And just like that, the elders let her pass, too shocked for words." He laughed. "I can just imagine the looks on the elders' faces once she said that. Looks like the girl knew what she was doing, if you ask me."

Jiro lifted his cup to his lips, but noticing that it was empty, called the waitress to order another round. He turned to Sasuke, offering him a drink, his treat, he said. However, Sasuke shook his head, too invested in Sakura's trial to care about anything else. "So what happened next?"

"Well," Jiro said as the waitress handed him his order, "just like Sakura-san promised to the elders, she never left the village, which was pretty foolish if you ask me. But my opinion doesn't matter now, does it? So later that day, a team of ANBU came knocking on Sakura-san's door to arrest her. Her parents were shocked, I'm sure. But story goes that Sakura-san stepped outside before her parents could ask what the charges were. She didn't even put up a fight, but she refused to put on the handcuffs, instead choosing to escort _herself_ to the prison, head held high as if she did nothing wrong, as if she was _proud_." He shook his head and laughed. "Traitor or not, that girl has got some serious—"

"Okay, Jiro, that's enough," nameless nin said, finally lifting his head and looked at Sasuke, smiling sadly. Sasuke swallowed, so maybe he didn't hate the guy. "Since you probably don't know this, Sakura-san has been detained in prison for the past five months, her trial one of the longest in history. But can you blame Konoha for taking so long? No one wants to believe that the Fifth Hokage's disciple could commit such treason, and right after a war, too. But evidence keeps piling up against her, and its her word against the elders'."

He sighed. "And as if that's not enough, everyone's been fighting over whether or not Sakura-san should receive full punishment if found guilty. On one hand, she's the greatest kunoichi in all of Konoha, her medical skills surpassing even her mentor. But on the other hand, treason is a capital offense, and people are saying she shouldn't be treated any different than any other—" he paused, almost unable to say the word, "_criminal_." He bit his lip. "And even you must know the punishment for such a crime."

Sasuke felt his heart clench. He nodded. "Death."

"Precisely. Every major nation has been keeping tabs on the Sakura Haruno trial, some angered, some sympathetic. But in the end, everyone knows the decision can only be made by Konoha alone, regardless of how any outside party feels. And the wait was terrible. Five months, and there was still no word of any progress. We were all starting to doubt if it would ever come into a conclusion. At least, that was the case," he said softly, "until recently."

Quiet.

"So what was the verdict?" Sasuke asked slowly, knowing what he was going to say and yet, trying to cling onto the hope that he was terribly mistaken. Because her eyes told him, _Everything is going to be okay_, and he believed her. Because he had no reason to doubt her. Because with Sakura, things _were_ going to be okay, they were always supposed to be okay. Because she was Sakura, and things like this only happened to those who deserved it, to those who've lived in darkness, to those like _him_.

But it was Jiro who looked up, and it was Jiro who answered him, his expression saying _I thought you'd never ask_.

"Guilty."

* * *

And so the plot thickens. Lots of talking, but I liked this chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it as well. Next update will be out soon!

And as always, read and review!

GhostofYou


	3. Chapter 3

GOD. This is so late, and I'm so sorry! So I'm just going to keep this short and just say that I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 3

From what Sakura could see outside her window, it was just past noon, and she already counted the number of tiles on the ceiling six times. She groaned, turning on her side, and faced the wall, the boredom seeming to increase with every passing day. But, she reminded herself bitterly, it was only a matter of time until her boredom ceased—until she ceased. She shook her head. And as Sakura began tracing circles on the wall with her index finger, feeling the roughness of the bricks against her fingertips, her thoughts drifted back to that morning only five months earlier.

Sometimes, when she'd replay what happened, she'd wonder why she didn't just run away with him. Things would have been so much easier—she'd be free; she'd be free, and she'd be with him. But there was no use in wondering about the "what if's." It was too late for that. And despite everything, Sakura had no regrets, satisfied with the mere knowledge that somewhere, Sasuke was safe, was _alive_.

However, as she continued to think about what was to become of her in the upcoming days, Sakura's heart began to beat faster, her traced circles becoming more frantic, her breathing becoming more labored, almost to the point of hyperventilation. She wanted to slap herself. From the beginning, Sakura already knew what the outcome of her trial would be; she had been prepared for months. She knew that the moment she allowed Sasuke to escape that she would be the one to take his place. And she was okay with that, she really was. But no matter how many times she'd told herself it would be just like falling asleep, her fears always managed to find its way into her mind when she least expected it

She sighed and pulled the covers of her thin blanket over her, wondering what Sasuke was up to at that moment, hoping that the weather was nice wherever he was. She wondered if he already found a place to live permanently, or if he was still searching; either way, it must have been difficult. At least the war was over. His life could be peaceful now. Maybe he would find Team Taka again. She smiled. Even if she was officially out of the running, they could be his new family, the family she knew he needed. Her smile faded. She wondered if Sasuke heard the news. She wondered if he'd mourn her death.

Sakura shut her eyes tightly and curled into a ball, breathing in the hot air trapped under her blanket, letting herself pretend. And once again, she was five; she was invisible, protected by the blanket that transformed into an impenetrable shield. Nothing could see her. Nothing could harm her. Because she wasn't Sakura anymore. Sakura didn't exist. Hidden.

Gone.

"You have a visitor."

Sakura opened her eyes, the clanging of the guard's keys against the metal bars reverberating in her ears, groggy. She was still under her covers; she didn't even realize she fell asleep. Sitting up, she glanced outside her window—it was raining now—and nodded at the guard. Warily, he stuck the key in the lock and entered her cell, taking out something from his back pocket. She rolled her eyes.

"Really?" Sakura said jokingly, holding her arms out to the guard, "We're still doing the handcuffs?"

However, he averted his gaze as he secured the metal handcuffs around her wrists. "I'm sorry, Sakura-san," he said softly, embarrassed. "It's protocol."

She sighed. "Yeah, I know."

Placing his hand on her shoulder, the guard led Sakura to the visitation room in silence. He seemed uncomfortable, stiff, she noticed, more so than usual. He could barely even look at her. But then again, not many people could after she was officially sentenced to death row. Whether it was from shame or embarrassment, she could never tell. But she couldn't blame them.

The guard stopped in front of the room, hesitating to open the door. There was an odd expression on his face, as if he wanted to say something to her. He took a breath and opened his mouth a few times, but there were no words, just sighs. Sakura tilted her head and gave him a small smile, silently urging him to go on. However, the guard shook his head, forgetting the idea entirely, and turned the doorknob, motioning for Sakura to enter.

The room was empty except for two chairs, one of them occupied by Naruto. Sakura smiled and sat in the seat front of him, hearing dull click as the guard locked the door. However, Naruto's face remained expressionless, his eyes going straight to her wrists.

"I hate how you have to wear those things around me," he said.

Sakura glanced at the handcuffs, suddenly having the urge to hide them, feeling self-conscious. "I know, Naruto," she said, forcing a weak smile, "but what can we do?" Using her shoulder to motion towards the door, Sakura rolled her eyes and lifted her hands in an effort to make air quotes. "It's '_protocol_.'"

However, her attempt at humor with Naruto worked just as well as it did with the guard; he didn't even crack a smile. Instead, he crossed his arms and stared at the floor, biting the inside of his cheek before saying under his breath, "No, it's stupid. That's what it is." He looked up. "You should hear what some of the villagers are saying, Sakura-chan. I can't take it anymore. It's like they've forgotten who you are. It's like they've forgotten everything you've done for the village. They're treating you like—like you're just some kind of _criminal_."

Beat.

"Naruto, technically, I am," she said gently, earnestly—because it was true, "A criminal, I mean."

"Don't say that!" Naruto yelled furiously, making Sakura flinch. He stood up from his chair, knocking it over in the process, the sound loud, jarring—reminding Sakura of broken glass and spilled food trays, "Don't you dare fucking say that!"

"Hey, what going on here?" the guard demanded as he peeked his head inside. "Is everything okay?"

Naruto turned him, fists clenched, his aura dangerous. "Oh yeah," he said sarcastically, "Everything's just _great_. Why wouldn't everything be _fucking_ great? There's nothing like seeing your best friend in handcuffs. Especially when she didn't even do—"

"Naruto, _don't_," Sakura said warningly, stopping him before he could finish his sentence, knowing what he was about to say. She turned to the guard and showed him her wrists. "Everything's fine. See? They're still on, nothing to worry about. Just ignore us." She gave him a small smile. "And, um, thanks. For being concerned."

Naruto scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, whatever."

An awkward silence filled the room as the guard glanced at Sakura, as if unsure of what to make of the situation, choosing to ignore the blonde's glare and relock the door. But even with the guard gone Naruto's mood only seemed to worsen. Grabbing a fistful of hair in frustration, he walked to one side of the room as Sakura watched in silence. He took a few deep breaths, his forehead against the wall, as if it could cool the flare in his temper. It didn't.

"_God!_"

He slammed his fist against the wall. "_Madara_ was a criminal," he said, gritting through his teeth. "_Obito_ was a criminal." He slammed his fist again. And again. And again. He took another breath, flattening his palm against the wall, seemingly calming down. "But you're not, Sakura-chan. You're not, and we both know it. You don't deserve this. You don't—" Naruto's voice cracked, revealing his anger as nothing more than a cover for the incredible sadness he felt. "You can't— " His voice shook as he slid down the wall and onto his knees. "_I_ can't. I can't let you do this."

Immediately, Sakura ran to him and knelt down, trying to hold in the tears. She had to be strong, she told herself. She had to be brave. _For Naruto. For Sasuke-kun_. Taking one of Naruto's hands in both of hers, Sakura laid her head on his shoulder—the best comfort she could offer him. "Please don't cry, Naruto," she said gently, squeezing his hand. "I'm okay. Really, I am. It's going to be over soon. I'm not afraid."

Naruto wiped his eyes with his other hand and turned to her, scrutinized her, the realization hitting him hard.

_She's lying_.

He shook his head; he wasn't going to tell her he knew. "But, Sakura-chan, I don't think I can do it. I don't think I can hold it in anymore. I need to tell someone. _Please_," he begged, feeling Sakura tense, his thumb tracing the cool metal around her wrists. "You don't know what it's like. To know the truth and not be able to say anything, it's not fair. It's just—not fair."

Sakura closed her eyes and sighed. "I know it's not," she said, her heart aching, "but you can't. You need to keep this a secret. Even if the villagers believe you, it won't matter. The elders will find a way to get to you, too. So please, just let me do this."

"But—"

"Naruto, this is all I'm asking for. Just promise me you won't say anything, not yet." She tried to smile, but the corners of her mouth twitched, wanting to frown. And this time, she couldn't stop the tears from falling. "This is the last promise you'll have to make me, I swear."

She had to hold her breath so she wouldn't start sobbing, forcing herself to smile as more tears streamed down her face, her grip tightening around Naruto's hand. However, he gently pulled his hand free and wrapped his arms around her shaking body, rubbing her back as he whispered comforting words into her ear. "Okay, Sakura-chan, I promise," he said quietly, shutting his eyes tightly so he wouldn't start crying again. "A promise of a lifetime."

* * *

For the rest of his visit, Naruto and Sakura remained on the floor in silence. And even after their eyes were dry and their tears spent, he continued to hold her in his arms—because after spending five months in a prison cell with limited physical contact, she needed comfort; because soon he'd be the only member of Team Seven left in the village, and he needed comfort. Because. Just because.

And when the guard opened the door to tell Naruto that his time was up, he froze. They didn't even hear him enter, too lost in their thoughts and worries to notice. He almost didn't have the heart to break them up, toying with the idea of giving them an extra half-hour or so. But he knew he couldn't do that; he knew his duty. And luckily, this time, there was no anger in Naruto's expression when he told him he had to leave, only solemnity as he watched him take Sakura from the visitation room. The guard sighed again. Sometimes he really hated this job.

"Um, excuse me?"

He blinked. "What?"

Sakura raised her brow and lifted her hands. "I think you're forgetting something," she said, the corners of her mouth turning upward into a weak smile.

Embarrassed, the guard quickly reentered her cell and found the keys to the handcuffs, feeling the blood rush to his face as he apologized, making Sakura laugh. And when he finally removed the restraints, her smile grew wider as she massaged her wrists in relief and thanked him. However, before he could exit the cell, he stopped. "Sakura-san?"

"Yes?"

He swallowed. He was going to say it this time. He had to. "I just want to say that," he began slowly, "despite the trial and everything that has happened since then, it has been an honor, uh, being your guard." He straightened his back and turned around. "Konoha is going to be losing one of the greatest kunoichi it's ever seen. And," he paused to clear his throat, "I'm going to miss you."

Sakura's eyes widened, not quite knowing what to say. It was the most he'd ever said to her at one time. And though he wasn't her only guard, he was the only one who ever returned her kindness, who ever looked at her like a person and not another inmate. And she was grateful. Yet, she didn't even know his name. "Thank you, uh—"

He finally smiled. "Call me Shin," he said, "Just Shin."

She nodded. "Thank you, Shin."

Nodding, Shin walked outside the cell; however, just before he could shut the door and walk away, Sakura said, "Oh, and Shin? Call me Sakura." She returned the smile. "Just Sakura."

* * *

Naruto didn't want to do anything. He'd been walking through the streets of Konoha aimlessly—pointlessly—for hours, passing his apartment a multitude of times, refusing to enter, refusing to be stationary. Restless. But one can only wander for so long, and after finding himself outside his home for the umpteenth time, he decided that he had enough for one day.

His hand on the doorknob, Naruto hesitated and looked at the sky. It was dark now, the moon slowly rising towards the center of the sky. He sighed. Another day gone. Another day wasted. _It's going to be over soon_, she told him. He shook his head; he was tired of thinking about it. Slowly, he entered his apartment, closing the door behind him, the moon's rays both illuminating and casting shadows within his apartment.

He took a breath.

"All right," he said evenly, his hand reaching for a kunai, bracing himself for an attack, "who's there?"

The second he reached is apartment Naruto knew something was off. He felt it. Someone was inside his apartment. There was a slight movement in the corner of the room, catching his attention. _There you are_. He jumped towards the light switch and gasped.

"Sasuke! What are you doing here?" Naruto exclaimed, dropping his kunai, forgetting to pick it up, fully remarking Sasuke's appearance. "You—You look like hell!"

And he really did; Naruto didn't have to tell him twice. But Sasuke didn't just look like hell, he felt like it, too. It had stopped raining long ago, and yet, he was still dripping, fighting the urge to shiver. There were dark circles under his eyes; he hadn't slept in days, blinking relentlessly as if it could chase his fatigue away. He took a step towards Naruto and stumbled, his muscles still aching from running—_sprinting_—all the way from Iwa; because he refused to stop; because he knew he was running out of time. "Naruto—" he rasped.

"Okay, you need to sit down," Naruto said, steadying him by the arm and pulling a chair.

But Sasuke refused, pulling away from Naruto and using his table for support. "Sakura," he said, not knowing where to start, not sure if wanted to know the answer, "she's not—I'm not—?" He closed his eyes and took a breath, eyebrows furrowed. He couldn't even say it. _Too late_.

Naruto smiled weakly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "No," he said, "she's still alive." His eyes looked toward the ground, his voice lowering. "I just saw her actually."

Sasuke nodded; though, he didn't allow himself to relax, not yet. "How—How is she?"

"She's," Naruto hesitated, wondering if he should lie, deciding against it, "doing the best she can."

"When's her—"

"Two days."

Relief flooded Sasuke like a wave as he let out a sigh of relief, finally taking the seat Naruto offered. He placed his head in his hands. "Good." He looked up. "Perfect."

There was something in his expression—calm, calculating—something that made Naruto anxious, no, _excited_.He eyed him suspiciously, unable to stop the smile from forming on his lips. "Sasuke, what are you thinking?"

* * *

All right, that's Chapter 3! Kind of emotional, and yeah! So, I think the next chapter will be the last, unless there's an epilogue. Anyway, I'm leaving for vacation in the next couple of days, so the next update for this may take a while because I need to update "Different" once I get back!

Thank you!

And as always, read and review!

GhostofYou


	4. Chapter 4

Yah! Let's just get on with the chapter! Messages to follow!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

* * *

Chapter 4

"Sakura-san, it's time."

She opened her eyes to Shin's voice—somber and soothing—and turned her head to face him, watching silently as he unlocked her cell door for the last time. Sighing, Sakura threw the covers off her and sat up with her arms out in front of her, feeling the metal handcuffs press against her wrists as Shin slowly locked them in place. But this time, she made no comment, no witty remark. She didn't even bother correcting him about the honorific. She wasn't in the mood, and, from what she could tell, neither was Shin. It was quite sad, really.

She took a deep breath. "Shin?"

"Yes?"

"Naruto," she said steadily as she got to her feet, her voice masking her anxiety, "he isn't here, is he?"

Shin shook his head "no" as he gently guided Sakura out of her cell and through the winding hallways, his hand on her shoulder, down a path she'd never been through before. And for some reason, she could almost swear that the walls were closing in, the hallway becoming increasingly narrow with every turn. She felt nauseous. But the building was probably designed this way on purpose, she realized, a simple reminder that there was no hope, that this was the end. And though she hated to admit it, it was working. Even the lights were gradually dimming as they approached the execution room.

And yet, Shin was able to find his way with ease, leaving Sakura to wonder how often he had taken this route, to wonder how many more times he would take it during his lifetime—arriving as a pair, leaving alone. She grimaced. How morbid.

"Why?" Shin suddenly asked, noticing the look on Sakura's face, misinterpreting it for disappointment. He stopped. "Would you like him to be?"

"No, of course not," she said, resolute, taking a step forward, prompting Shin to continue leading her down the hallway. She gave him a small smile. "It's better this way. Really."

According to Shin, people were technically allowed to view the execution from the other side of a glass window; though, not many people did. And Sakura could only guess why. She may have been terrified, going in alone, but she knew Naruto's presence would only make matters worse. Besides, even though it may have been selfish, she told him not to come herself; she told him she didn't want the last thing she saw to be Naruto's face as he watched her die. It would be too much for her heart to bear—and, even if he wouldn't admit it, it would be too much for his, too.

She closed her eyes, knowing—trusting—Shin would guide her safely, remembering how long she'd fought to convince Naruto to agree to her request. She almost laughed. Naruto was always so stubborn. But, then again, so was she. They did nothing but argue that day he visited—calmly, then wildly, then hysterically. But in the end, she won; though, both knew it wasn't a victory, not really.

"Shin?" Sakura said softly when she felt him squeeze her shoulder as they came to a stop, finally opening her eyes. Immediately, she noticed the glass window, about five feet long and four feet wide, the light from the execution room illuminating the darkened hallway. She shuddered, noticing a table with thick leather straps when she stole a glance through the window, and felt her heart begin to race. It looked dirty, and Sakura couldn't help but wonder how many other criminals had died on that same table. She turned to Shin. "Don't—don't leave, okay?"

He gave her shoulder another squeeze. "I wouldn't even if I could."

Carefully, Shin opened the door and led her inside the execution room where two men in long white coats stood waiting, their expressions austere. Pointing to the table, they instructed Sakura to lie down and secured the leather straps tightly around her arms and legs. Except for her head, which she could only move from side-to-side, she was completely immobile. However, a wave of panic washed over her when she turned her head and saw that Shin was no longer beside her, relieved when she realized he was standing on the other side of the glass window, a small smile on his face, which she half-heartedly returned. She didn't even notice he left the room.

A dull clang on her left recaptured Sakura's attention, turning just in time to see one of the men place a metal tray on a stand and prepare the method of execution: death by lethal injection. It was almost ironic, and she couldn't help but think, _How fitting_. She swallowed, her heart pounding as the other man wiped her arm with alcohol. But, she reminded herself, it would be painless, and in less than three minutes she'd feel nothing at all. There was a slight pinch as she solemnly watched the clear substance being injected into her arm, relaxing once the needle was removed. _Three minutes_, she told herself, _three minutes, and it would all be over._

But something was wrong.

At first, it was just a minor burning sensation at the site of injection, which was normal. However, within seconds the burning increased, causing unbearable pain that spread throughout her whole body. Tears welled in her eyes as Sakura began to struggle against her restraints, panicking when she felt her throat swell up, felt her heart palpitate. She could barely breathe. She could barely think. And yet, she knew one thing was certain: this was the elders' doing. And it was cruel. Suddenly, her eyelids felt incredibly heavy, but she gathered enough strength and forced herself to turn her head towards the window. She had to let Shin know that she was in trouble, that he had to stop this, that—

"_**Shin!**_"

They were killing him. The elders were there, and they were killing him, his bloody hand reaching out to her, screaming her name as he fell to the ground, leaving five, bright streaks of red against the window. And though horrified, Sakura remained silent—her last scream spent, her only friend dead, her hope gone. All she had left was pain—throbbing, pulsating pain. She closed her eyes.

* * *

"_Are you sure it won't hurt, Sakura-chan?"_

"_Of course I'm sure."_

"_Maybe I should be there, just to make sure."_

"_Naruto, we already went over this. Everything's going to be fine. I'll—I'll be fine."_

"_But what about the rest of us?"_

* * *

Sakura woke up in a cold sweat, gasping for air as she sat up and hugged her knees to her chest. She was trembling, and she couldn't _stop_ trembling. She wanted to cry. It felt so real.

"Bad dream?"

She jumped. It was Shin. His back was facing her, but all she could picture was the Shin from her dream—screaming, bleeding, _dying_. Her voice shook. "Y-yeah."

There was a pause. "It's okay," he said gently, turning his head slightly so he was looking at her through the corner of his eye, "to be afraid, you know." However, Sakura didn't answer, averting her gaze, thinking only of swelled throats and red streaks. It was just a dream, she told herself, just a dream. Shin continued, "But, if you need someone to talk to, so you can get your mind of off—well, I have nowhere else to be."

Sakura looked up, practically _hearing_ the smile in his voice. She almost wanted to laugh. Almost. "You're," she said carefully, finally saying what's been on her mind—bothering her, puzzling her—for the past few months, "you're not like the other guards. You treat me differently, kindly. Why?"

Shin finally turned around, and she saw that she was correct. He _was_ smiling. "Well, if we're being frank, Sakura-san," she made a face, "Sorry. I mean, _Sakura_." He chuckled. She relaxed. "Anyway, you probably don't remember this, but you healed my father a while ago. I think you just about to finish your training under Tsunade-sama at the time. But even then, your skills were incredible. You saved my father from death. And I've always been grateful for that." He paused. "But even if that never happened," he said earnestly, "I don't think I would have treated you any differently than I do now."

"You think so?"

"I know so." There was that smile again. "But you don't give yourself enough credit, you know. You've been nothing but kind yourself, not only towards me but to your other guards as well, regardless of how they treat you. And no matter what the others may say, or what you may believe, you're not a criminal." Sakura raised a brow. "Okay, well, at least, you're not a bad person."

Her eyes widened. His cheeks flushed. They both looked away.

"Shin?" she asked after a moment of awkward silence.

"Y-yes?"

"About what you said earlier, about getting my mind off tomorrow," she said, finally smiling herself, "I'd like that."

* * *

If his memory served him correctly, Sakura's cell would be on the left after the next turn. That whole day Sasuke and Naruto did nothing but plan her escape. Though, it was rather simple: find her cell, break her out, take down anyone who gets in the way—and so far, so good. Sasuke already knocked out the few guards who crossed his path with ease, not even breaking a sweat. It was just finding the exact jail cell that was causing him a slight problem, taking more time than he expected.

_Why don't you just let me go?_ Naruto constantly asked him. After all, he'd visited Sakura countless times; it would have been easier for all of them. But Sasuke said no, telling him that it was fine, that he didn't care how long it took for Naruto to teach him the layout of the prison, that he would be able to manage—because it had to be him. And though Sasuke may have had a rocky start, taking one or two wrong turns here and there, he was sure he was on the right path now. And just as he anticipated, once he made the next turn he was immediately met with a guard.

However, the guard's reaction was too slow, knocked unconscious before he could even raise his weapon. Sasuke smirked as he reached for the guard's key ring and quietly unlocked the cell door after finding the correct key. It was almost too easy.

And there she was.

She was under her covers, on her side and sleeping soundly, as if she was completely unaware that her execution was only hours away. He walked closer. He almost couldn't believe it. It had been half a year since the last he'd seen her. And from what he could tell, her hair had grown longer, and she had gotten thinner. But that didn't matter—because he made it; because she was breathing; because she was _alive_.

"Sakura," he said, gently shaking her, "wake up."

She groaned, her eyes still closed as she shifted to her other side so she was facing him. "S-shin?" she said drowsily, "Is—Is it really time already?"

His eyes widened. _Shin?_

"No, Sakura," he said with a tint of annoyance, pushing the thoughts of whoever this Shin was to the back of his mind. "It's me."

Sakura squinted her eyes open as her hand rubbed her right eye. "Sasuke-kun?" She shook her head and closed her eyes once more. "I—I must be dreaming again." He rolled his eyes, placing his arm on her shoulder again, shaking her as he told her otherwise. She blinked. She gasped. She threw her arms around him. "Sasuke-kun! I'm—I'm not dreaming! You're here! And I can't—I didn't think I'd ever—Why—You baka, I told you to run!"

She was crying hysterically now, her words incoherent and muffled against his shoulder. And though he knew they didn't have much time, Sasuke said nothing, allowing her to cry as he carefully wrapped his arms around her, continuing to hold her even when the tears had ceased. But as much as he wanted to give in to his selfishness and stay in that position, he knew they couldn't. They had to move, and reluctantly, Sasuke forced himself to pull away. "Sakura," he said, "we don't have much time. We have to go."

"Go? You mean—?"

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her to her feet, not caring that she was barefoot as he dragged her out of her cell. They had lost enough time already. "Yes. I'm getting you out of here."

This time, now that it was his second time walking—running—through the halls, Sasuke made no mistakes, taking all the right turns, going down all the right paths. No alarms had gone off, no guards had seen them. Everything was working out perfectly. Even Sakura, barefoot, fatigued, and weakened from her months of detainment, was able to keep up. They were almost free, almost—

"Sakura?"

The voice came from behind, but it was unfamiliar to Sasuke. He cursed under his breath, figuring he should just pick Sakura up and make a run for it. But to his surprise, she pulled away from his grip before he could do so, forcing him to stop.

"Shin!"

Sasuke tensed. _Shin?_ Turning around slowly, Sasuke found himself face to face with a uniformed man who looked just a few years older than him—tall, brown hair, green eyes—his expression of shock mirroring the one on Sakura's face. So, Sasuke realized, Shin was one of her guards. He scowled, and instinctively took Sakura's wrist, pulling her behind him.

"What are you doing?" Shin finally asked, torn from his daze, gazing at Sakura over Sasuke's shoulder. "Is this—is this the Uchiha?"

"Shin, I can explain," she said, her voice pleading, her mind trying to come up with something, anything, so she could make him understand. She shook her head. "No, I can't. I wish I could, but there's no time. Shin, I'm sorry. You have to believe me. I—"

"Hit me."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

Shin took a step forward, prompting Sasuke to take one back. He pursed his lips, taking a glance at the Uchiha before turning his attention back to Sakura. "There's an easier way out of here. Only the guards know about it. Go back this way and make a left. At the end of that hall there will be stairs. Take them. Just keep going straight until you see a red door. That will be your exit. You two have fifteen minutes. But that's all the time I can give you." He paused. "So hit me."

Sasuke felt Sakura try to pull away from his grasp again, but he tightened his grip. "_Sakura_," he said warningly, "are you sure we can even trust him? It could be a trap."

However, she didn't answer him, uncurling his fingers around her wrist with her free hand, and walked towards Shin, ignoring Sasuke's protests. Of course he had no reason to trust him, but she did.

"Tell your father," she said as she stood in front of Shin, "I said, 'hello.'"

He smiled and nodded. "Will do."

She raised her fist tentatively, closing her eyes to stop the tears from falling. "Thank you, Shin."

And though Sakura couldn't use all of her strength, she knew her punch was enough to give them the time they needed to escape the prison. As she stared at down at Shin's semi-unconscious body she suddenly felt Sasuke take her hand as she heard him say under his breath, "This guy better be telling the truth or we're going back to kick his ass."

She laughed.

But just like Shin promised, to Sakura's satisfaction and Sasuke's chagrin, within minutes they found the red door and were free.

* * *

"Naruto, what are you doing?"

The sun was just starting to rise, the sky quickly turning from black to blue as the birds began to chirp within the trees. And despite the delays, Sasuke and Sakura made it to the designated meeting spot in the forest outside the village gates just in time. There he saw Naruto sitting at the base of a tree, but rather than seeing two backpacks filled with the things he instructed him to gather for their journey, Sasuke counted three.

"What does it look like, teme?" Naruto asked as he stood up and quickly approached the two, unable to hold his excitement as he lifted Sakura off the ground into a bear hug, making her squeal in delight as he twirled around. "I'm coming with you guys! Oh, Sakura-chan, I can't believe it! You're finally out of those damn handcuffs!"

Sasuke scowled. "This wasn't part of the plan, Naruto."

Naruto paused, gently dropping Sakura to the ground, and turned to Sasuke. "So? Who cares if it wasn't part of your plan?" he asked indignantly. "Did you think I'd really just let you two leave without me?"

Beat.

"What about becoming Hokage?"

"I don't care about that anymore!" Naruto exclaimed, though by the look on his face both Sasuke and Sakura knew he was lying. His shoulders slumped. "But, we're—we're a team, Sasuke," he said, softly this time, getting teary-eyed. "We're Team Seven. You can't just leave me."

Sasuke huffed, running a hand through his hair. He was running out of patience. "Naruto, listen, you're not—"

"Sasuke-kun, stop."

The two boys turned their heads to look at their teammate, who placed her hand on Sasuke's shoulder, pulling him away from the blonde. Naruto smirked and wiped his eyes. "See?" he said in triumph, "Sakura-chan agrees with me."

However, Sakura shook her head and moved closer to him. "No. That's not it," she said lightly, giving him a small smile, "Sasuke-kun is right. You have to stay."

"But—!"

"You have to listen to me, Naruto," she said sternly, interrupting him, prompting him to shut his mouth. "You know the truth, about the massacre, about me. You can't leave. Things need to change, and you have to be the one to change them." She took Naruto's hand and squeezed tightly, feeling a lump growing in her throat. God, she thought, she was going to cry again. "But you were right, too. We are a team. And even though we'll be far apart, we'll always _be_ a team. This isn't going to be forever, I promise. Konoha is my—_our_ home, and we," Sakura paused and looked to Sasuke who nodded and placed a hand on his shoulder, "_we_ will come back."

Naruto gulped, blinking away his own tears. "You promise?"

Pulling him into an embrace, Sakura nodded and whispered in his ear, "It's the promise of a lifetime."

* * *

So I thought this was going to be the last chapter, but it came out longer than I anticipated, and there's still one more part left, so I'm going to write an epilogue, which will be short and sweet and out soon! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and how this story played out.

I've been asked some questions about the future of this fic, but I will address all questions in the Epilogue!

And as always, read and review!

GhostofYou


	5. Epilogue

Finally! The long awaited Epilogue! Read on to the end for some important messages!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

* * *

Epilogue

"You seem pleased, Tsunade."

She smirked, her chin resting on her intertwined fingers. "Do I now?"

The elders exchanged unamused glances, Homura crossing his arms as he leaned back into his chair. They had been sitting in the conference room for nearly half an hour, silent, neither party willing to speak the first word—at least, not until the elders noticed the slight tug at the corner of Tsunade's lips, noticed the twinkle of satisfaction in her eyes. And that infuriated them.

"If we didn't know any better," Homura continued, his tone light, his eyes severe, "it would almost seem that you knew about this." He paused, waiting for a rebuttal, receiving none. Pursing his lips, he glanced at Koharu who nodded solemnly. He cleared his throat. "I don't think we need to remind you about the—_consequences_ for such an act."

Her smirk faded. "No, you don't," Tsunade said stiffly, biting the inside of her cheek. She sat up. "Convicting my student was a sufficient reminder, thank you."

There was another pause.

Koharu sighed. "Then I hope for your sake, Tsunade," she said sternly, as if she were speaking to a child rather than the Hokage, "you've finally come to realize that even if she was your student we had no other choice. You do understand the position we were in, don't you? There was no way we could have exempted her from facing the consequences without the possibility of causing another conflict between the other nations, and we were not about to take that risk. And, may I remind you that not only did she act against her superiors, she allowed the Uchiha to escape. Whether you like it or not, Sakura Haruno is nothing to us now, no better than the Uchiha himself: a criminal."

"That's all just a matter of opinion."

"I think you mean fact."

"No," Tsunade said, shaking her head, "Actually, I _don't_."

Homura squinted his eyes. "What are you trying to say?"

"Nothing." She clicked her tongue, the dangerous glint in her eyes betraying her stoic expression, a challenge. "At least, nothing you two probably don't already know."

"So that's it," Homura said, sitting up and placing his hands on the table, "You don't trust us."

"You said it, not me."

However, Koharu stepped into the conversation before he could rebut, noticing Homura's fists clench. "I'd watch that tongue of yours, Tsunade," she said, pursing her lips, "You may be the Hokage, but you're not the only one with power in this village. And whatever it is you _think_ you know isn't important right now. We called this meeting to make a decision about our next course of action. This is a serious matter; and yet, you've been taking the escape quite lightly. You can't blame us for being—ah, _wary_ of your intentions.."

Tsunade suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. Of the two council members, Koharu was definitely the worst. Yes, Homura may have had a short temper, and, yes, his personality was as abrasive as sandpaper. But Homura she could handle. It was Koharu, with her silent judgments and her calculating gaze, who aggravated her. And on those rare occasions when she did choose to speak, her words were nothing short of vicious. Tsunade bit the inside of her cheek—it was always the quiet ones. "As I've told you before," she said, "this was much as a surprise to me as it was to you."

"Was it really?" Koharu asked, "I almost find that hard to believe."

"Then that's too bad."

Her lips forming a tight line, Koharu stood up and motioned for Homura to do the same, shooting him a quick glance before turning her attention back to Tsunade. "If this is all we have to discuss with each other," Koharu said, "then I suppose this meeting is over. So if you will excuse us; we have more pressing members to attend to."

"Which would be?"

"An interrogation," Koharu said, not bothering to even spare Tsunade a glance as she and Homura continued towards the exit. "The chances of catching up to Sakura and the Uchiha at this time are slim, but despite this we have reason to believe one our guards had a role in their escape. He may have information on their whereabouts. But regardless of whether or not he can provide us with that information, if he is believed to have helped the two escape then proper punishment will also necessary."

However, Tsunade stopped them just before Homura could place his hand on the doorknob. "That won't be necessary," she said as they froze, their heads turning slightly, eyes wide in both confusion and suspicion. She smirked. "I requested for his release earlier this morning."

"You _what_?"

"I released him."

"How _dare_ you do this without—"

"How? _How? _Well, if I'm not mistaken," Tsunade said firmly, raising her voice as she stood up and slammed her palms on the table, "you may be of the Konoha Council, but I am still the Hokage." It was the first time she saw Koharu lose even the slightest bit of her composure. She was fuming, unable to form a proper response, and Tsunade loved every second of it. "As far as I'm concerned, Shin Takori has committed no crime. He's innocent."

"Tsunade—"

"_Innocent_."

"Where's your proof?"

"Where was _yours_?"

But Tsunade wasn't talking about Shin anymore, and Koharu and Homura knew it. For a few moments, they stood in yet another stalemate, this time glaring at each other as Tsunade waited for a response to her unspoken accusation. However, the elders remained silent, remained in pseudo-ignorance until Koharu finally huffed, exiting the conference room without another word.

Tsunade raised her brow but said nothing as she turned her gaze to Homura, challenging him, knowing he was as likely to respond to her question as Koharu was. And she was right. He didn't even wait a minute before he turning to the door. However, just before he left the room, Homura spared Tsunade one last warning.

"This isn't over."

* * *

They had been travelling for hours now, watching the sun rise as they made their way further and further from the village, finally stopping to take a rest near the peak of the mountain. But even though they were miles away from Konoha, Sakura could just make out Hokage Mountain from where the stood, could just make out Ichiraku's and the Academy, the training grounds and the flower shop, the hospital and her _home_. All of Konoha was laid before her, even the prison where she'd been detained for the last few months, and Sakura couldn't help but wonder, was it really that small?

She shivered.

"Sakura, we should start moving again."

But she didn't answer. Sasuke said her name again, but the response was the same. Silence. He took a step closer—noticeably, audibly—and yet, nothing. He sighed. She had been awfully quiet ever since they finally convinced Naruto to stay behind, saying no more than a few words to him at a time. Even when he told her it was safe for them to take a break, Sakura merely gave him a weak nod before walking towards a cliff near the edge of the forest where she remained for the last twenty minutes. And as Ssauke stared at her back, he wondered what she was thinking about, wondered if she'd tell him if he'd ask. But just as he was about to reach out to her, she spoke.

"My execution," Sakura said softly, barely loud enough for him to hear, "it would have been over by now. Isn't that weird to think about? Right at this moment, if you hadn't come I would have—" She paused, taking a breath before turning her head to him. Her eyes were slightly red, Sasuke remarked. She'd been crying. "This is really happening, isn't it, Sasuke-kun? We're really leaving."

She was looking at him with those eyes again—so vibrant, so trusting, so _green_—as if waiting for him to say something, to say _anything_. And he wanted to. He really did. He wanted to tell her how he swore he felt his heart stop when he heard about the trial. He wanted to tell her how relieved he was when he reached Konoha in time, how he never stopped running no matter how tired he was, or how hopeless he was, or how _frightened_ he was. But most of all, he wanted to tell her how, dare he say, how _happy _he was that she was there, that she was leaving—with him.

But Sasuke was never one for words. He cleared his throat. "Sakura—"

She shook her head once, and he was silenced—just like that. "You know," she said, turning to look at the village once more as Sasuke took a few cautious steps to stand next to her, "it could be years before we return to Konoha."

He sighed. "I know."

"And it's just going to be the two of us."

"I know."

Beat.

"You sure you can handle it?" Sakura finally asked, a tint of laughter in her tone, her small smile just reaching Sasuke's peripheral vision. She shook her head. "So I've been told," she continued, "I can be quite, ah, _annoying_."

Sasuke turned.

Sasuke smirked.

"I think I'll manage."

* * *

Wow, and that's the end! Finally! I almost can't believe it. And yet, I can, because technically, I wanted to finish this over the summer, but college got really crazy, and oh well, at least I finished it!

And as for the future of this fic, I'm not entirely sure right now. I wanted to leave the ending a little open ended because I do have an idea of where I want this go, but whether I actually do it is questionable. And if I were to do a sequel, it would be much more than four chapters and an epilogue, most likely containing the (mis)adventures of Sasuke and Sakura and the fate of Konoha. Who knows? Maybe it will happen. Maybe it won't. But it also kind of depends on what you guys think. If a good amount of people ask, I'd be more likely to consider it, though, it may take a while since I'd still have to organize the plot and such.

But, anyway, I hope you enjoyed "Tangent!" Thank you for all of you who read and reviewed, giving me constructive criticism or stopping by just to say hello. I appreciated every single one of them. So thank you, again. Seriously! Thank you!

Until next time, then? Maybe?

But as always,

Read and review!

GhostofYou


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